Tractor mounted distributor



Jan. 9, 1951 R. P. BAHRE TRACTOR MOUNTED DISTRIBUTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 29, 1948 A Ilorney Jan. 9, 1951 R BAHRE 2,537,202

TRACTOR MOUNTED DISTRIBUTOR Filed Oct. 29, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 i 1' a 4-4- ,l/ 6'0 I," 4- 55 f 0 4-0 6.5 v I 6/ g za l l Inventor L 63 RaZ67'Z'RBa/ z1va..

Attorney Jan. 9, 1951 R. P. BAHRE TRACTOR MOUNTED DISTRIBUTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 29, 1948 Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRACTOR. MOUNTED DISTRIBUTOR Robert P. Bahre, Suifield, Conn.

Application October 29, 1948, Serial No. 57,338

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a distributor attachment adapted to be detachably mounted on tractors for dispensing lime or fertilizer of proper quantities onto a field across which the tractor is moving and provided with agitating means driven by a connection to .the power take-off shaft of the tractor for breaking up the lime or fertilizer into minute particles so that it can be readily distributed through the dispensing outlets of the distributor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an agitator adapted to be disposed entirely within a hopper of the distributor thereby enabling the distributor to be disposed much closer to the round so as to prevent the material being distributed thereby from being blown around by the wind before striking the ground to thus insure proper distribution of the material in the desired places.

Another object of the invention is to provide a distributor wherein the hpp'.r by being located in close proximity to the ground will be disposed with the open top thereof at a relatively low level thereby greatly facilitating the filling of the distributor and eliminating the need for lifting containers of fertilizer or lime to considerable heights in order to empty them into the hopper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mounting for detachably supporting the distributor on a tractor and with the hopper thereof located behind the tractor and transversely thereof and wherein four removable pins are utilized for demountably connecting the distributor to the tractor.

Still a further and important object of the invention is to provide a distributor having means for manually controlling the discharge ports thereof including an actuator located in close proximity to the drivers seat of the tractor so that the distributor discharge ports can be opened or closed by the tractor operator without moving from his position on the tractor thereby effecting a considerable saving in material which would otherwise be wasted while the tractor operator was moving from this seat on the tractor to a position from which the distributor discharge ports could be opened or closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a distributor having a demountable control valve provided with discharge ports capable of being readily removed and replaced so that control valves having difierently arranged discharge ports may be interchangeably used with the distributor for varying the amount of material distributed and for varying the locations with re- 2 spect to the hopper from which the material is dispensed so that, where desired, the material can be dispensed only onto crop rows along which the tractor is moving.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of the rear end of a tractor and showing the distributor demountably applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the distributor including a portion of the rear end of the tractor;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view showing the distributor dismounted;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal, substantially central sectional view through the hopper;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross sectional views of the hopper taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Figure 4;

Figure '7 is a side elevational view of one of the supporting bracket units for demountably attaching the distributor to the tractor;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of a modified form of the distributor slide or valve;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a modified form of bracket means for demountably supporting the hopper on a "Ford or Ferguson tractor, and

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line H-ll of Figure 10.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, a portion of the rear end of a tractor, designated generally I2, is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 including the operator's seat l3, the rear axle housing l4 having upstanding bracket arms 15 provided with longitudinally spaced apertures, and a rearwardly extending substantially U-shaped draw-bar IS, the intermediate portion of which is provided with longitudinally spaced openings ll.

The parts previously described are all of conventional construction and constitute no part 01' the present invention. The tractor mounted distributor, constituting the invention, is designated generally is and includes an elongated hopper, designated generally I9 which is adapted to be disposed behind and transverse to the tractor l2 and demountably supported thereby as will hereinafter be described. The hopper I3 is provided with an open to: 23through which the hopper can be filled with fertilizer, lime or other material to be distributed thereby, not shown, and said hopper is provided with downwardly and inwardly inclined front and rear walls 2| and substantially parallel end walls 22. The hopper bottom 23. as best seen in Figure 4, is provided with longitudinally spaced discharge ports or openings 24 extending substantially from end-toend of the hopper l3.

A slide or valve plate 25 is demountably disposed against the underside of the hopper bottom 23 and is provided with relatively short upwardly extending side flanges or walls 26 which are disposed in upwardly diverging relationship for engaging against the lower portions of the front and rear wa ls 2|. A plurality of su porting members 21 support the valve plate 25 slidably against the hopper bottom 23. Each of the supporting members 21 comprises a bar havin a looped end 28 which is pivotally connected by a pin 29 to a bracket 30 secured to the hopper front wall 2|. Each bar 21 is provided with an opposite outwardly extending end 3| which projects outwardly from the rear wall 2| and which has a headed bolt 32 extending upwardly through an opening 33 therein and through an open ng 34 in an outwardly pro ecting arm of a bracket 35 which is secured to the rear wall 2| and disposed above said portion 3|. The bolt 32 is provided with a threaded upper end for receiving a nut and washer as indicated at 36 and which forms a seat for an expansion coiled spring 31 carried by the bolt and bearing on the nut and washer unit 36 on the upper side of the arm of the bracket 35 for yieldably urging the bar portion 3| upwardly. Each bar 21.is also provided with an intermediate portion 38 which is yieldably dis osed a a nst the underside of the valve plate 25 for yieldably holding the valve against the underside of the hopper bottom 23. It will be readily apparent that the valve 25 is thus detachably supported by a plurality of the valve supporting units 21 and may be removed from the hopper l9 by removing the bolts 32 to permit the bars 21 to swing downwardly and disengage the valve plate 25 so that said valve plate can be removed for re lacement with another valve plate. As il ustrated in F gures 4 and 6, the valve plate 25 is provided with longitudinally spaced discharge openings or ports 33 preferably corresponding in size and shape to the ports 24 and which are similarly spaced so that'the valve plate 25 by being moved slightly from its position of Figure 4 may be positioned so that each of the ports 33 will register with a port 24 to permit the contents of the hopper IE to be dispensed through said a igned ports 24 and 39, or by positioning the valve 25 as illustrated in Figure 4, the ports 39 will be disposed out of registry with the ports 24 to prevent the material from being dispensed from the hopper.

The forward side wall 26 of the valve 25 is provided with an outwardly proiecting apertured extension 40, as best seen in Figure 8, through which the lower outwardly oflsetend 4| of an actuating lever 42 loosely extends. The'actuating lever 42 is pivotally supported on a pin 43 which projects outwardly from the front hopper wall 2| for swinging movement in a direction longitudinally of the hopper l3 and has an upper portion thereof slidably engaging behind a guide plate 44 which is anchored at both ends thereof,

as seen at 45 to the forward side of the hopper [3, the outer surface of which is preferably calibrated to indicate the positions of the openings of the valve plate with respect to the openings of the hopper bottom. The actuating lever 42 is provided with a forwardly oifset upwardly extending handle 46 which is disposed beneath and adjacent the operator's seat l3, as seen in F18- ure 1 and so that it may be readily engaged by the operator from the seat on the tractor for moving the valve plate 25 longitudinally of the hopper Is for moving the valve openings into or out of registry with the openings of the hopper bottom.

Figure 9 illustrates a slightly modified form of valve plate, designated generally 25a and which differs from the valve plate 25 only in that it is provided with longitudinally spaced series of discharge ports 39a adapted to register with only certain of the ports 24 and which are so arranged that the material dispensed from the hopper I9 may be discharged onto or over crop rows.

A gear box 41 is fixedly disposed in the intermediate portion of the hopper l9 and intermediate of the ends thereof and contains a worm gear 48 which is fixed to an intermediate portion of a shaft 43 which extends transversely through 'the gear box 41 and longitudinally through the hopper l9 and the ends of which are journalled in bearings 50, supported by the hopper end walls 22. A shaft 5| is journalled in the upper portion of the gear housing 41 and has its rear end disposed adjacent a supporting bracket 52 which is secured to the gear housing and to the rear hopper wall 2| for supporting the gear housing within the hopper. The shaft 5| has a worm 53 fixed vthereto and disposed within the gear housing 41 for meshing engagement with the worm gear 43. The forward end of the shaft 5| extends forwardly through a bearing 54 in the front hopper wall 2| and connects with the rear end of a power take-off shaft 55 of the tractor l2 and which is provided with longitudinally spaced universal joints.

An agitating unit 56 is supported in each end of the hopper IS on each end of the shaft 43. Each agitating unit 56 includes a pair of end disks 51 which are fixed to spaced portions of the shaft 49 and between which extend a plura ity of rods 58 which connect with the disks 51 adjacent the per pheries thereof. The rods 53 when revolved with the disks 51 by the shaft 43 will agitate the contents of the hopper l9. not shown, for breaking up any lumpy material and so that the material will be in fine minute form capable of b ing readily dispensed through the ports 24 and 33.

The distributor 8, in the form thereof as illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, is provided with two corresponding mounting units, each designated generally 59 and each including a bar 60, as best illustrated in Fi ure 7 which is shaped to fit flush again t the front hopper wall 2| and which is secured thereto and transversely thereof by suitable fastening means su h as rivets or fasten ngs 6|. Each bar 60 adjacent its lower end is provided with an outwardly rojecting arm 62 which extends forward y with respect to the hopper i3 and wh ch is provided at its forward end with a depending pin 63 ad pted to detachably en age an openin H of the drawbar l6, as best illustrated in Fi ure 1. The up er end of each bar 60 is provided with an outwardly extending flange pr plate 64 which is apertured to receive an angular end 35 of a rod 06 forming a part oi the unit 59 and having a correspondingly disposed angular opposite end 67 which is adapted to extend through an aperture of one of the bracket arms i5, as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The pin 03 and ends 05 and 61 are dia metrically apertured to receive cotter pins 68 for detachably retaining said parts in engagement with the drawbar i6, plate 69 and bracket arms 55, respectively. As clearly illustrated in Figure 2, the hopper i9 is thus supported by two of the mounting units 59 on the tractor i2 with the weight of the hopper i9 actually being supported by the arms 62 and with the rods 95 functioning for steadyin the hopper to prevent it from tilting forwardly or rearw'ardly. The hop= per 99 is disposed suficiently behind the tractor 52 so as to be positioned rearwardly of the rear wheels of the tractor, not shown, to enable the hopper to be made of any length and with the ends thereof substantially overlying the tractor rear wheels.

From the preceding detailed description it will be readily apparent that the operator of the tractor it can open or close the valve 25 or 25a to permit the contents of the hopper l 9 to be .dispensed or to shut off the flow of material therefrom without moving from his position on the seat 113. The agitators 55 will break up the material within the hopper i9 into minute particles so that it can be evenly distributed from the aligned discharge ports 29 and 39. It will also be apparent that the agitators 56 may be operated while the valve 25 is closed for breaking up the material before dispensing of the material is begun for the purpose of finely dividing lumpy material or this may be accomplished during the dispensing by driving the tractor in a low gear for increasing the speed of rotation of the agitators. The pressure of the springs 37 will yie dably retain the valve 25 against the underside of the hopper bottom 23 and in either an open or closed position to which it is moved, and as previously described the valve 25 may be readily removed and replaced w th the valve'25a or by other valves having differently arranged discharge ports.

The d'stri or is also adapted for use on Ford or Fer son tract rs eoui'oned with re rwardlv extendin s in a lv mounted coupling arms ca a e of bein raised or lowered by a power actuat d level er. With this form of the invention. a pair of brack t units each d s gnated enerallv 59a is emploved each of which, as best illustrated n Fi ures and 11, includes a bar portion 6 a which is secured against the forward wall of the hop er in the same manner as the bar portion 60. Each bar portion 60a is provided with a forwardly projecting arm 62a adjacent its lower end having a laterally pro- Jecting pin 63a for engaging an eye Ha of a rearwardly extendng coupling arm lSa which is swlngably mounted on a tractor, not shown, for

vertical swinging movement. The bracket bar a is provided with a forwardly extending rod 66a at its upper end the free end 67a of which is turned laterally to extend through an aperture of a bracket i5a which is supported in substantially a vertical plane on the rear axle housing Ma of the tractor. The ends 67a are turnably mounted in the brackets 1511 so that the hopper may be raised or lowered by upward or downward swinging movement of the coupling arms Ito. The pins 63a and ends We are likewise diametrically apertured to receive cotter pins 68a.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the sp'rit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

Iclaim as my invention:

A distributor attachment for tractors comprising an elongated hopper adapted to be disposed behind and transverse of a tractor and demountably supported thereon in close proximity to the rear end of the tractor, said attachment including a plurality of mounting units secured to the hopper and each having a forwardly projecting arm provided with a pin for detachably engagin a coupling element of the tractor for supporting the hopper thereon, each of said mounting units also including a forwardly extending brace for detachably engaging another portion of the tractor, said braces being disposed above said arms, an agitator disposed within said hopper and longitudinally thereof, a gear fixed to a part of the agitator, a gear housing contained in said hopper and enclosing said gear, a shaft disposed transversely of the hopper and adapted to be detachably connected directly to and driven by the power take-off shaft of the tractor, and a worm fixed to said shaft and meshing with said gear, said worm being disposed with said gear in the gear housing.

ROBERT P. B :3

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 1,172,005 Butter-field Feb. 15, 1916 1,840,602 Pender Jan. 12, 1932 2,019,385 Baucom Oct. 29, 1935 2,309,086 Arndt Jan. 26, 1943 2,323,995 Hiroshima July 13, 1943 2,334,376 Bauer Nov. 16, 1943 2,350,107 Gandrud May 30, 1944 2,369,755 Rosselot Feb. 20, 1945 2,375,970 Williams May 15, 1945 2,400,646 Klein May 21, 1946 2,410,937 Harder Nov. 12, 1946 2,415,934 Buehler Feb. 18, 1947 

